Searching for the Night Heron.

I hadn't been out with the camera for a few days because I was trying to transfer stuff from my old and nearly clapped out laptop to a new one I was forced to buy.For a chap that is dumbfounded by his mobile phone most of the time this is a major task for me and it took me ages even after I bought a very misnamed "Easy Transfer Cable" at £45.

Anyhow by Thursday afternoon I was really fed up so I decided to go over to Earlswood Lakes and try and find the Night Heron that had been reported there recently.I first went to the causeway between the two lakes but couldn't find it after a 30 minute search so I kept myself amused by taking shots of the resident drake Mandarin and trying to get shots of some Common Terns.









I then decamped and went over to Springbrook Lane getting there at 5.30PM.Although the bird had been seen there the day before there was only one birder searching which was not encouraging.Just after 6.30PM when I was thinking of giving up my new best friend called out "That's it flying over there".

We found out later it had been in a tree in the scrubland area behind us and had then flown across the lane in a SW direction and that's where we saw it.I was so slow getting on it with the camera it was at least three fields away when I got a shot off but for once I didn't worry about the shot as it was a lifer for me.My new friend rang a mate that we had found it and within 10 minutes there were at least 20 birders in the lane.I believe it was seen again at 9.00PM.

Here is my shot so don't laugh too loud.It could be anything I know.If you want to see some decent shots of this bird go to Dave Hutton's blog (seeswoodpoolsandbeyond).